Mobile support for extensible helical members



United States Patent Inventor Wayne W. Hay

Madison, Wis.

Appl. No. 601,722

Filed Dec. 14, 1966 Patented Dec. 15, 1970 Assignee Air Reduction Company, Incorporated New York, N.Y. a corporation of New York MOBILE SUPPORT FOR EXTENSIBLE HELICAL MEMBERS 3 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 191/12; 104/118, 104/121 Int. Cl H011 H02g 1 1/02 Field of Search 104/93,

118-130, 242, 119; 105/163, 241; 16/(lnquired); l60/(Inquired); 191/12 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,872,729 8/1932 Goldberg 191/12 2,571,832 10/1951 Chapin, Jr. 105/163 2,660,128 11/1953 Hayes 104/242 3,392,244 7/1968 Hillmann 104/121 Primary Examiner-Arthur L. La Point Assistant ExaminerRichard A. Bertsch Atrorneys- Melford F. Tietze, H. Hume Mathews and Edmund W. Bopp ABSTRACT: A mobile support for a flexible helical coiled member or members extensible along a track including a rail and a carriage moveable along the rail and which is constrained against movement in any direction except along the longitudinal axis of the rail, wherein the flexible helical coiled member is supported by the carriage in a position alongside the rail.

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MOBILE SUPPORT FOR EXTENSIBLE HELICAL MEMBERS This invention relates to a mobile support for extensible helical members such as conduits and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a stable suspension of one or more extensible helically coiled self-retracting members on a track rail of modified l-beam cross-sectional shape, the members being supported substantially at track level by a plurality of carriages capable of closely nesting together when the coiled members are contracted. The individual carriages may be provided in sufficient numbers to support each turn of a coil with its own carriage, or one carriage for each two, three or other small number of turns. The carriage is attached to the coiled member by means of a swivel clip to accommodate the change in the helix angle of the coiled member at the point of attachment to the carriage as the coiled member is extended and retracted. Two or more coiled members may be provided in intertwined arrangement, in which case the carriage may be attached to two or more of the coiled members at adjacent points on the respective coils.

A feature of the invention is that the helically coiled member or members are supported sothat the coil is substantially at the level of the web of the rail and does not hang down below the track member to any material extent. In this way the installation is made more compact and canbe enclosed in a casing or shroud to protect the coils and to screen them from view. The diameter of the helix is preferably no greater than the height of the web of the rail.

Another feature is the placing of coils on both sides of the track, thereby accommodating a plurality of coils in a single installation, as for different services in individual conduits, and permitting an arrangement in which torsional forces in the coils are approximately balanced and theweight is divided more or less equally on the two sides of the track.

Another feature is the use of a plurality of parallelly wound intertwined helically coiled members, whereby the number of conduits may be increased with little or no increase in the bulk of the installation.

Other features comprise a track rail of special cross-sectional shape, cooperating with coil-supporting carriages and a travelling manifold of special design, and a special brake mechanism and release therefor, whereby the service connections to the coils can be positioned from time to time at any desired location along the track. The invention A will be described and shown with special referenceto an overhead installation of services for use in a surgical operating room, as in a hospital, with typical services available such as oxygen, nitrous oxide, vacuum and compressed air,.as for use in connection with the care or anesthetization of patients. It will be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to these particular services and uses, nor is its usefulness limited to hospitals. It will be evident, also, that the device is not limited to overhead installations but may instead be inverted and mounted on the floor.

An object of the invention is to furnish services to various parts of a room, without requiring a supply-pedestal or other apparatus of a type that takes up valuable space, and without using ceiling space in the center of the room where lighting fixtures must be placed.

The embodiment of the invention described and shown herein is particularly designed to provide means for suspending a plurality of gas service connections from the ceiling of a room, such as a surgical operating room, and for moving such connections along a substantially U-shapedpath in order to minimize the number of outlets required for the room and to maximize the ease with which the services'can be efficiently utilized at any position along the path. The path is designed generally to serve both sides and the head of an operating table. A particular consideration is to provide the services without interference with a ceiling light within the outline of the U-shaped path. I

Other features, objects and advantages will appear from the following more detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, which will now be given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

' casing or shroud.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an embodiment of the invention in an overhead U-shaped installation providing gas and vacuum line services in a surgical operating room;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view on a larger scale of the output or service end of the installation shown generally in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, partly cut away, of the input or supply end section of the installationshown generally in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a carriage shown in crosssectional view in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view partly sectional, of a carriage arrangement alternative to one shown in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view, partly broken away, of the service end portion of the installation shown in FIG. 2, including a brake mechanism and release therefor;

FIG. 8 is an end view, partly in section, of the service portion shown in side view in FIG. 7, together with a sectional view of a casing or shroud for protecting and concealing the mechanism of the installation shown generally in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a swivel member or pivot advantageously employed in the invention in supporting a pair of conduits from a carriage;

FIG. 10 is an end elevational view of the member shown in side elevational view in FIG. 9;

FIG. II is a side elevational view of a clamp member advantageously employed in conjunction with the pivot of FIG. 9 in fastening a pair of conduits to the said pivot; and

FIG. 12 is an end elevational view of the member shown in side elevational view in FIG. 11.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a ceiling installation of a U-shaped track 20 for extensible conduitsproviding a plurality of service connections such as may be used in a surgical operating room. Four service hoses 41, 42, 43 and 44 are provided in this embodiment for vacuum, compressed air, nitrous oxide and oxygen, respectively. The group of conduits can be extended to any point along the U-shaped track without the conduits having to traverse the space enclosed by the track and without the hose sagging or hanging below the track. A travelling manifold 32 at the service end of the movable part of the installation is provided with a brake mechanism and a release therefor, operated by a chain 26, so that the manifold 32 can be locked in place at any position-or moved about freely whenever desired. In a finished installation, the track and conduits can be protected and hidden from view in a boxlike For supplying gas or vacuum services, I prefer nylon selfstoring coiled hose because it provides satisfactory gastight connections and takes up a minimum of space in the retracted condition. To supply four services, where space is at a premium, it is advantageous to interweave two coils of nylon hose with a right-hand pitch on one side of the rail web and two coils with left-hand pitch on the other side. By opposing the pitches on the two sides of the rail the forces exerted by the coils which would otherwise tend to twist the carriages are opposed and their resultant effect is greatly reduced or substantially eliminated.

Two helically coiledparallelly wound intertwined conduits 21 and 23 are visible in FIG. 1, and two similarly arranged conduits 22 and 24 are provided on theopposite side of the track and partly hidden by the track in this view. The conduits are shown in a fairly fully extended condition. A plurality of carriages 28 are shown, providing support for the conduits at every third complete turn of each helix. The track 20 comprises a main upper flange 29 and a lower flange 62 connected by a web 36, and may be mounted on a plurality of ceiling plates 30 attached directly to the ceiling. Depending from the service manifold 32 are shown the service hoses 41, 42, 43, 44, which connect through the manifold 32 with the conduits 21, 22, 23, 24, respectively. The brake release chain 26 also depends from the manifold 32. A fixed supply manifold 34 (more fully detailed in FIG. 3) is shown at the end of the track remote from the movable manifold 32.. Through'the manifold I 34 the conduits 21, 22, 23, 24, are connected to supply pipes 51, 52, 53, 54, respectively, supplying the four services illustrated, namely vacuum, compressed air, nitrous oxide, and oxygen, respectively.

FIG. 2 shows on a larger scale the service end of the installation shown generally in FIG. I. In particular, FIG. 2 shows the parall'elly would intertwined relationship between the conduits 21 and 23, the attachment of the pair of conduits to the in dividual carriage by means of a pivoted double-clamp arrangement, and the connection of the conduits to the traveling manifold. Furthermore, the FIG. shows the attachment of the carriage to the conduit at one end of the horizontal diameter -f of the'helix, and some detail of the brake mechanism.

developed by the conduits on curves. This suspension also keeps corresponding coils of opposing pairs of conduits substantially opposite each other on both sides of the track regardless of the degree of extension of the conduits. The

suspension also prevents the imposition of undesired torsional loads on the hose clamps occasioned by the change in the helix angle of the hose as it is stretched.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show in more detail the form and running I gear of the carriages and the method of fastening the conduits to the carriages. FIG. 3 shows the conduits 21 and 23 in nonextended position at the supply pipe end of the track, close to l the fixed manifold 34. FIG. 4 shows the cross-sectional shape of the track rail and an endwise view of a typical carriage with conduits attached. FIG. 5 shows a side view of the carriage by itself.

The rail 20 is of generally I-type cross section with modifications as shown. On each side of the web 36 there are provided grooved auxiliary flange portions 38,38 which serve as tracks for wheels or rollers running on horizontal axles, held captive at the bottom by rims 46,46. Rims 40,40 on upper flange 29 form grooved flange portions holding the wheels captive at the top.

The typical carriage has a top bottom crossbar 48 and upwardly extending angling arms 50 and 56 forming a framework that straddles the track 20 from below. The arms 50, 56 serve as vertical axles for wheels or rollers 58 and 60 which bear upon the inner and outer surface, respectively, of

- the web 36, a little distance above the lower flange 62 of the track. The arm 50 at its top carries a vertical wheel or roller 64 on a horizontal axle, which wheel runs on the rail portion 38 as an auxiliary track and is held captive by the rims 40, 46. The arm 56 carries a similar wheel or roller 66 which runs on the rail portion 38' and is held captive by the rims 40', 46. The .arms 50 and 56 constitute offset portions of the movable member shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the offset portions extending grooved to fit the conduits 21 and 23. The conduits are secured to the pivot member 72 by a clamp member 74 also shaped tofit the conduits and fastened to the member 72 by a screw 76 and nut 146 to secure the conduits between the members 72 and 74 while permitting the conduits to rotate withthe-pivot 72 (FIGS; 4 and 6) as the conduits are extended. The end of the pivot 72 which fits in the bearing hole 70 of the block 68 is longer than the hole, and the nut 146 acts as a thrust bearing to limit axial displacement of the pivot without limiting rotation. The member 72 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 9 and I0, and the clamp member 74 in FIGS. II and 12. Similar arrangements indicated by primed reference numerals are provided on arm 56 for fastening to conduits 22 and 24.

It will be seen that the upper guide wheels 64, 66, each of which is retained in its individual track of the rail, are displaced longitudinally along the rail in opposite directions so that differences in the magnitude or direction of tensile forces in the conduits will result in lateral loads applied to the wheel flanges but which cannot turn the ,carrierseriough to wedge them on the rail. This displacement along'the rail of the wheels 64, 66 also keeps the carriers oriented vertically whileallfowing them to overlap in the collapsed position of the conduit'sf The carriers must also be reasonably friction free because during extension the tensile forces imposed on the conduits where they attach to the travelling manifold 32 are greater than those at any other point along the length of the conduits, the difference amounting to the s uirnof thefriction forces imposed by each of the intervening carriers. It is, of course, desirable to minimize the difference in tensile forces along the length of the conduits in order to maximize the length of extension which any given force applied to themanifold 32 will produce.

In order to prevent the carrier nearest the fixed manifold 34 from running off the track when the conduits are collapsed toward their storage condition, a stop 170 is provided, which can conveniently be attached to the fixed manifold '34, as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shown a variation in the mounting of the conduits upon the carriage. In this embodiment, the conduit is fastened to the carriage at the end of the horizontal diameter of the helix farthest away from the web36 of the rail 20. Also, the wheel 58 is shown mounted upon a separate support post 75' instead of upon-the arm 50. The block 68 for supporting the pivot-member 72 is mounted upon a curved arm 78 attached to or integral with the crossbar 48, instead of upon the arm 50. Other ways of supporting the pivot member 72 at any other point on the helix will occur to those skilled in the art.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show in greater detail the travelling manifold 32, therunning gear therefor, and the brake mechanism and release therefor, togetherwith a cross-sectional view of the rail 20 and of a casing or shroud (FIG. 8) which may extend the full length of the track 20. The manifold is provided with eight vertical wheels or rollers 8188 running on horizontal axles, and six horizontal wheels or rollers 89-94, running on vertical axles. The wheels 81 and 82 roll upon the top surface of the flange 62 on the inside of the U-shaped track, while wheels 83 and 84 (the latter hidden behind wheel 83 in FIG. 8) roll upon the top surface of the flange 62 on the outside of the U-shaped track. Wheels 85, 86, 87 and 88 (the latter hidden behind wheel 87 in FIG. 8) have a slight clearance between them and the underneath surface of the upper auxiliary track 38 and are ready to bear upon that surface in case of any tendency of the wheels 81-84 to bounce and lose contact with the flange 62, or any twisting force acting upon the, manifold 32. The wheels 89 and 90 roll upon the surface 96 of the web 36 on the inside of the track, while the wheels 91 and 92 (the latter hidden behind wheel 91 in FIG. 8) roll on the surface 98 of the web 36 on the outside of the track. The wheel 93 rolls on the lower portion 100 of the web 36 on the inside of the track while the wheel 94 rolls on the corresponding portion 102 on the outside of the track.

The travelling manifold 32 is constrained against any substantial rotational movement about any axis and against any substantial translational motion except parallel to the track. For this purpose, the wheels8994 bearing against the web 36 provide constraint against rotation either about a vertical axis or about a horizontal axis parallel to the web 36, as well as against horizontal translational motion perpendicular to the web 36. The provision of wheels 81--84 bearing upon the flange 62, wheels 85, 86 adjacent to and ready to bear upon the horizontal surface 95 on the undersideof the track 38, and wheels 87, 88 adjacent to and ready to bear upon the horizonlar to the web 36 and also against vertical translational motion.

The carriages 28 are also each constrained against rotational movement about any axis and against any translational motion except parallel to the track. For this purpose, the wheel 64, bearing against the rims 40, 46, and the wheel 66 bearing against the rims 40', 46 provide constraint against rotation about a vertical axis or about a horizontal axis parallel to the web 36, and against horizontal translational motion perpendicular to the web 36. Further constraint against rotation about a horizontal axis parallel to the web and against horizontal translational motion perpendicular to the web is provided by the wheels 58, 60 hearing against the web. The wheel 64 bearing against the track 38 or against the horizontal surface 41, and the wheel 66 bearing against the track 38' or against the horizontal surface 41', provide constraint against rotation about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the web 36 and against vertical translational motion. I

As a result of the constraints provided, the carriages 28 and the travelling manifold 32 are enabled to move freely along the track regardless of the contour of the track, whether straight or curved, down to a predetermined radius of curvature, providing satisfactory operation under a wide range of practical conditions.

The service connecting portion of the travelling manifold 32 proper comprises a heavy block 101 with a series of threaded nipples attached: 161 for vacuum, 162 for compressed air, 163 for nitrous oxide, and 164 for oxygen. The block 101 is suspended by a pair of plates 166 carrying stub axles on which the vertical wheels 8l-88 are mounted.

FIG. 8 shows conduit v23 connected to a fitting 104 and con duit 24 connected to a fitting 106 in the block 101. FIG. 7 shows conduit 21 connected to a fitting 108 in the block 101. Conduit 22 is similarly connected to a fitting in the block 101 although the conduit and fitting are hidden from view in FIG. 8 by the conduit 24 and fitting 106.

The tensile forces which arise in the coiled tubes when they are extended make it necessary to provide braking means so that the travelling manifold can be left at a desired location with the coils extended, offsetting the forces tending to restore the coils to the self-storing configuration.

The brake mechanism comprises a roller 108 (FIG. 7), preferably rubber surfaced, laterally confined in a slot 110 in the manifold block 101, resting upon a wedge plate 112, and biased toward the upper end of the wedge'by a flat leaf spring 114, so that the roller 108 is normally wedged against the under surface of the flange 62 to accomplish the desired braking. The wedge plate is fastened to the manifold block 101 by a group of studs 116 and spaced nuts 118 and 120 so that the angle and location of the wedge plates can be adjusted. The roller 108 in the braking position is in contact with or close to the upper portion of a bellcrank 122. The wedge plate 112 has two downwardly projecting flanges in which are located holes accommodating pins 124 and 126. Pins 124 support leaf spring 114, and pin I26 serves as a pivotfor bellcrank 122. The brake release chain 26 is attached to the lower end of the bellcrank 122.

In the locked position of the brake mechanism, spring 114 wedges the roller 108 tightly between the flange 62 and the wedge plate 112. preventing movement of the service manifold along the track toward the fixed manifold 34. When the bellcrank 122 is turned by pulling down on the chain 26, the upper portion of the bellcrank pushes the roller 108 downwardly along the wedge plates in opposition to the spring 114, freeing the roller 108 from contact with the flange 62. The resiliency of the helical coils of the conduits tends to contract the coils when the brake is released, enabling the movable manifold to be returned toward the fixed manifold 34 and collapsing the coils, thus returning the travelling manifold 32 as far as desired. On the other hand, by pullingupon the chain in the proper direction, the user can extend the coils to any desired length. When the chain is released, the spring 114 pushes the roller 108 into the wedged position, securely locking the manifold 32 at the desired location.

FIG. 8 shows a way of mounting the installation in a space above the finished ceiling of a room with only the service hoses and the brake release chain visible and accessible in the room below. A spine plate 148 of sufficient width to cover the lateral extent of the conduits 21-24 as mounted, with suitable clearance on each side, is attached to the structural ceiling of the room. Centered on the underside of the spine 148 is mounted the rail 20, upon a shim 150, if desired, to provide a means of leveling the track. Suitably spaced along the track there may be provided ribs of which a typical one is shown at 152, attached to the spine 148, which ribs provide attachment for side cover plates 154 and bottom cover plates 156. The bottom cover plates may be at the bottom level of the finished ceiling 158. A slot 160 is left between the bottom cover plates 156 through which the service hoses and the brake release chain depend. The casing or shroud formed by the cover plates may be made dustproof except for the slot 160, so as to provide protection for the apparatus within. If the installation is made with the spine plates attached to the finished ceiling, the casing or shroud provides a screen as well as a protective covering.

Attached to the block 101 there may be provided a brush 168, spring pressed against the bottom of the flange 62, to provide electrical continuity between the manifold and the track.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show in greater detail the pivot member 72. The pivot member has a circular face portion 128 which is provided with half-cylindrical grooves 130 to fit two conduits. The pivot member has a bearing portion 132 which is rotatable in the hole 70 (FIG. 5). A central hole 134 extends through the bearing portion 132 and face portion 128 for use in fastening the pivot member in place as well as clamping the members 72 and 74 upon the conduits.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show in greater detail the clamp member 74. The member 74 is made from a short cylindrical rod 136 in which are turned annular grooves 138. At right angles to the axis of the rod 136 there is a central bore ll40, counterbored at 142 to accommodate the head of a round head screw 76 (FIG. 3). The screw 76 passes through the hole 134 in member 72 and through the bore 140, with its head in the counterbore 142. At the other end of the screw 76 there is provided a self retaining nut 146 (FIG. 4) which bears against the block 68 so that the screw 76 can be tightened to clamp the conduits between the pivot member 72 and the clamp me'mber 74 while retaining the pivot and clamp members in pivotable relation to the block 68.

While illustrative forms of apparatus and methods in accordance with the invention have been described and shown herein, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made without departing from the general principles and scope of the invention.

Iclaim:

1. In a mobile support for a coiled self-retracting member extensible along a track, in combination, a fixed terminal for said member at one end of said track, a travelling terminal for said member movable along said track, and braking means for setting said travelling terminal at any desired location along said track, said braking means comprising a friction roller, wedge means and spring means attached to said travelling terminal for wedging said roller between said terminal and said track, and brake release means for moving said roller out of wedged position.

2. In a mobile support for a coiled self-retracting member, in combination, a rail comprising two parallel flange portions connected by a web portion, each said flange portion extending on both sides of said web and being provided with a groove parallel to said web, a movable member attached to said coiled self-retracting member and arranged to travel along said rail, said movable member being provided with offset portions on opposite sides of the web, individual rollers mounted upon said respective offset portions of said movable member in captive relationship between said grooved flange portions on each side of the web, and said offset portions extending in opposite directions along said rail to space said rollers apart along the rail, whereby to constrain said movable member against material rotation about an axis perpendicular to said web due to torsional forces exerted thereon by said coiled selfretracting member.

3. In a mobile support for a coiled self-retracting member, in combination, a rail comprising two parallel flanges connected by a web, a movable member attached to said coiled self-retracting member and arranged to travel along said rail, a first plurality of rollers mounted upon said movable member on axes perpendicular to said web, said rollers being normally in rolling contact with a first said flange, a second plurality of 

